Car-coupling.



No. 754,706. PATENTED MAR.15,1904. A

W. P.. RICHARDS.

GAR COUPLING. APPLIoA'rIoB- FILED JAN. '1, 19'04.

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4 PATRNTRD MAR. 15, 1904.

' W. F. RICHARDS.

GAR GOUPLING. APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 7, 1004. l 11010D1511. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED l STATES WILLARD F. RICHARDS, oF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AssIGNoR To COULD Patented March 15, 1904.A

OOUPLERCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION.

oAR-ooUPLlNG.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,706, dated March 15,1904. Application filed Iannary '7, 1904. Serial No. 188,084. (No model.)

T aZZrwi/omi if may concer-7b: v

Be it knownthat I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a

` citizen of the United States, residing at Buf- .automatically to lock the knuckle.'

falo, in the County of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a speciication. v u

This invention relates to car-couplers of the Master Oar-Builders type, and more particu-V larly to an automatic lock-set or latch for couplers of the kind disclosed in United States LettersPatent No. 618,073, granted to me September 18, 1900, in which a pivoted-springpressed lock for the swinging knuckle is employed.

A lock-set or latch should operate automatically when the lock is lifted and the knuckle in its raised or released position until the knuckle is swung open and to then release the lock and permit the same to move to its operative position, so that when the knuckle is again closed in coupling the cars the lock will act The lockset or latch should also be capable of being independently operated from outside of the coupler, so that in case it is desired to again lock the knuckle without opening it after the lock has been lifted this can be done by operating the lock-set or latch to releasethe lock.

The object of this invention is to provide a lock-set or latch which is of simple, strong, and inexpensive construction and veiiicent'and reliable in action and which can be applied to a coupler of the kind speciiied with but slight changes or alterations in the latter. i

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, partly in elevation, of a car-coupler provided with an automatic lock-set or latch embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a hori- Zontal section, partly in plan, thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section thereof, partly in elevation, in line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the lock held in released position bythe lock-set or latch. Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the locked position of the parts.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts inthe several gures.

horizontally on a vertical pivot-pin and is provided with a tailpiece 7) and tail extension b,

whichv extend into the chamber of the drawhead when the knuckle is in lclosed or coupling position, and O the vertically-swinging lock, which is pivoted in the rear portion of the chamber ofthe draw-head and is adapted to engage the knuckle-tail to lock the knuckle in closed position. The front end of the pivoted lock is held down in locking position by gravity aided by a spring-pressed plunger d, which'engages the rear end of the lock, and the tail extension of the knuckle is provided with an upper inclined face e, which coperates with a beveled or inclined face on the lower front portion of the lock to lift the latter when the tail of the knuckle is swung inwardly in coupling;

F is the usual lifting-link, which is connected to the lock and extends through an opening in the top of the draw-head and is connected with the customary operating shaft or device (not shown) for lifting the lock in uncoupling.

The features of the coupler thus far described are all well known and operate in a well -known manner. A more detailed description of the same will be found in the patent above mentioned.

Gr represents the automatic lock-set or latch,

'which is in the form of a bolt or pin arranged in an inclined position in the chamber of the draw-head at one side of the vertically-swinging lock and above the tail extension ofthe' knuckle when the latter is in closed or coupling position. The latch passes loosely through provided outside of the coupler witha link i" or other device, serving as a handle for operating the latch and to prevent the lock-set or latch from falling out of place into the drawhead. The shouldersv 2, formed at the lower end of the reduced upper end of the lock-set or latch, are adapted to strike the top of the draw-head and prevent the latch from being pulled out of the d raw-head and lost or stolen. The latch is provided on the outer side of its lower end with an inclined or convex face which engages and rests on the inclined face of the knuckle-tail extension when the knuckle is closed, and on the inner side of its lower end with a shoulder or seat to engage under a cooperating shoulder on the lower portion of the lock to hold the latter in its lifted or released position. When the knuckle is closed and the lock is down in locking position, the lock-set or latch occupies the position indicated in Fig. 4, resting with its lower end upon the inclined upper face of the tail extension of the knuckle and against the vertical side face of the lock. When it is desired to open the knuckle, the lock is lifted, thereby moving its vertical face above the lower end of the lock-set or latch, and as the latter is supported only by its inclined face 7s it drops by gravity, said inclined face causing its lower end to move inwardly, thereby project-ing its shoulder or seat t" beneath the shoulder on the lower,portion of the lock, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the lock is now released, its weight rests on the lower` end of the lock-set or latch and holds the latter down against the tail of the knuckle, whereby the lock-set or latch is held against displacement. The lock is thus held up in its released position until the knuckle is opened. When the knuckle is swung open, its tail extension moves from beneath the lock-set or latch and the latter drops by gravity and releases the lock, allowing it to drop into position to automatically lock the knuckle when the same is again closed or swung into coupling position. If after the lock has been raised to releasing position and held by the latch or lockset it is desired to again drop the lock to prevent the opening of the knuckle, it is only necessary 'to pull up on the upper end of the latch, which lifts the lower end of the latch off of the tail extension of the knuckle, when the weight of the lock-set or latch and lock supported thereby causes the lower end of the lock-set or latch to swing downwardly and away from the lock, thereby releasing the latter and permitting it to drop into locking position.

The lock-set or latch above described is entirely automatic in the performance of all of its functions. It is exceedingly simple in construction, involving only a single part, and only very slight changes are required in the coupler to apply the lock-set or latch'thereto. The only required changes in the coupler are the provision of the guide-lug`and hole in the top of the draw-head and the shoulder on the knuckle-lock for the engagement of the seat or shoulder on the lower end of the lock-set or latch.

. I claim as my inventionl. In a coupler, the combination with the knuckle, and movable lock, of a lock-set slidably arranged in the draw-head with its lower portion supported by the knuckle and engaging the lock, and which when the lock is moved to release the knuckle moves downwardly into a position between the knuckle and lock to support the latter, substantially as set forth.

2. In a coupler, the combination with the horizontally-swinging knuckle having a tailpiece, and a vertically-movable lock, of a lockset slidably mounted in the draw-head with its lower end resting on the tail piece of the knuckle and against one face of the lock when the knuckle is closed, and which when the lock is lifted moves downwardly and laterally into a position with its lower end between the knuc kle and the lock to support the latter, substantially as set forth.

3. In a coupler, the combination with the knuckle, and movable lock, of a lock-set slidablymounted in the draw-head ,with its lower end resting on the knuckle and against the lock when the knuckle is closed, and having an inclined face engaging the knuckle and a seat for the lock, said inclined face acting to move the lower end of the lock-setlaterally to place its seat below the lock when the latter is lifted, substantially as set forth.

4. In a coupler, the combination with the knuckle, and movable lock, of a lock-set slidably arranged in the draw-head with its upper end projecting out of the coupler and its lower end supported by the knuckle and engaging the lock when the knuckle is closed and which, when the lock is moved to release the knuckle moves to a position between the knuckle and lock to support the latter, substantially asset forth.

Witness my hand this 19th day of December, 1903.

VVILLARD F. RICHARDS. Vitnesses:

CHAS. W. PARKER,

C. M. BENTLEY.

IOS 

